Scientists have announced that they are close to developing an effective treatment using stem cells to restore teeth that require treatment for cavities.

They say they the novel procedure could replace root canals, fillings and even caps.

Currently cavities are treated by removing any inflamed pulp surrounding it and filling or capping the tooth. But this has limited success and the problem frequently progresses until the tooth must be removed.

Say 'aaaah': Unpleasant procedures such as the root canal could be consigned to the history books if Japanese scientists continue to develop their procedure using stem cells

'Dental cavities and inflammation of the surrounding pulp is a challenging public health issue, as tooth decay not only can cause a patient great pain but it also can lead to other serious health issues including heart disease,' explained Dr Misako Nakashima, of the National Centrr for Geriatrics and Gerontology in Obu, Japan.

Tooth decay occurs when bacteria or infections compromise a tooth's natural repair process. If the tooth erodes the hard, outer enamel and penetrates down inside the tooth, the infection eventually can kill the soft pulp tissue inside, prompting the need for either a root canal or removal of the tooth.

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Pulp is necessary to detecting sensation, including heat, cold and pressure, and contains the stem cells - undifferentiated cells that turn into specialised ones - that can regenerate tooth tissue.

The study, conducted by Dr Nakashima and colleagues along with scientists from Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories in Kagoshima and from the School of Dentistry at Aichi-gakuin University in Nagoya, tested a stem cell-based therapy that would regenerate the pulp and, consequently, totally restore the tooth’s previous healthy structure.

At the same time, they wanted to assess the safety of pulp stem cell transplantation in humans as a prelude to upcoming clinical trials.

The study was conducted on dogs but it is hoped clinical trials on humans will be carried out in the near future

They began by performing root canals on a group of 18 dogs, collecting the pulp stem cells and then treating them in the lab with a growth factor called granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF).

When they examined the results, which included comparing the G-CSF treated cells to a control group of non-treated cells, they found the cells did indeed regenerate the pulp tissue and completely filled in the dogs’ root canals.

'We also noted that the pulp stem cells treated with G-CSF yielded a significantly larger amount of regenerated dentin-pulp complex than those without it,' Dr. Nakashima observed.

'Also noteworthy was the reduced number of inflammatory cells, the decrease in cell death and the significant increase in neurite outgrowth (the projections that transfer a cell’s impulses compared to those without G-CSF).

Furthermore, there was no evidence of toxicity or adverse events.'

Based on these preclinical results of efficacy and safety, a clinical trial of pulp regeneration has already been initiated with the permission of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, she added.

The findings were published in the journal STEM CELLS Translational Medicine.